Wickedly Ever After
by lurknomore
Summary: AU. Fairytale. Kendall and Zach. It's a Sad Fact that Once Upon a Time doesn't deal well with the misunderstood. And once upon a time, there was a wicked sister named Kendall.
1. Prologue Wicked Is

_Authors Note: I have no idea where this came from. Maybe I was more feverish than I thought when I had the stomach flu?_

_Prologue – Wicked Is_

Once upon a time, there was a wicked half-sister named Kendall.

Now, Kendall wasn't exactly wicked so much as misunderstood. But it's a sad fact that Once Upon A Time doesn't cope well with the misunderstood; it's all about big concepts like Good. Evil. Virtue. Sin.

So, since Kendall wasn't Good (everybody knew the good one in the family was her half-sister, sweet Bianca), she automatically fell into the "Wicked" category. That's just how it was. Kendall never really questioned it. Why would she? Her mother Queen Erica had told everyone that her daughter Bianca was a Miracle for as long as Kendall could remember. And Kendall loved Bianca just as much as Erica did, so it made sense to Kendall. There were certain conventions in the Valley of Pine: if there were two half sisters, one had to be good and one had to be bad. Obviously since Bianca was the Good Sister, Kendall was the Wicked Sister. (Queen Erica, of course, was the only girl child of her mother, neatly sidestepping that whole dichotomy. Well, until her fraternal half-sister Silver showed up and was all sweetness and light. But that was a Long Time Ago, and anyway Silver dropped her mousy exterior and killed one of Erica's many consorts, conveniently falling into the "Wicked' category and solving Erica's problem nicely.)

Kendall read and heard enough stories as a child to know the score, so she did the standard Wicked Sister things. She told the occasional lie. She picked on other children and laughed about it. She tried not to do anything too horrible, because she really did love Bianca (and even Erica) just as much as everyone else did, evn if nobody believed it. But sometimes she would break down and steal a toy of Bianca's because it got her some attention (she was usually careful and took ones that Bianca wasn't all that keen on, but no one noticed that except the Queen's Advisor Lady Myrtle, who kept her own counsel, being an Advisor and all).

As they got older, Kendall gradually stopped stealing Bianca's toys and started stealing her suitors for her own instead. After all, she reasoned, Bianca didn't seem all that interested in them, and Kendall couldn't think of anything better to do with her time. (Kendall used to make lovely skin creams and fabulous smelling perfumes, but no one wanted to buy potions from a Wicked Sister, so she only used them on herself. She once tried to give her mother a lotion she called _Youth Dew_ for her birthday, but Erica took it the wrong way. So Kendall gave up potion-making and went back to stealing beaux.)

So Kendall went on her merry Wicked way, breaking hearts and telling fibs. It wasn't an unpleasant existence, or even all that pleasant; it just was.

Except every now and then, Kendall would get a glimpse of something really marvelous with one of those suitors. She'd try really hard to reach for it and hold on to it with everything she had, but it would just dance out of her hands, leaving her with nothing.

Or more accurately, they'd find out that she'd lied about something and drop _he_r out of _their_ hands.

First, there was Sir Anton. Even Kendall couldn't remember exactly why that one didn't work out; it had something to do with rewards and letters and long lost families that was all very complicated and made Kendall's head hurt more than her heart.

Then there was Aidan, the Superintendent of the Guards. Wow, he was cute. But she forgot all about him when she met Lord Ryan.

Kendall loved Lord Ryan from the first minute she met him. The strong chin, the bright blue eyes, the way he filled out a doublet… he just made her weak in the knees. And he seemed equally gone on Kendall, which was something of a shock to her. (I forgot to mention that while Kendall was Wicked, she also very easy on the eyes. She had huge, slightly tilted green eyes in a heart shaped face, creamy skin, beautiful curly hair, and a slight but obviously feminine figure. Quite frankly, she was a stunner. Of course, Kendall never really believed she was even pretty, because she thought her sister Bianca was the most beautiful girl on earth. Bianca had straight dark hair, dark eyes, a lovely golden complexion, a curvy figure, and the sweetest manner in the kingdom. In fact, she looked a lot like Queen Erica. Everyone always commented on how lovely the Queen and her daughter were, marvelling at the likeness. Needless to say, when Kendall looked in the mirror, all she saw was a skinny, gangly thing with scraggly hair who looked nothing like the two women she thought were so lovely. Eventually Kendall came to the erroneous conclusion that since she looked so different she couldn't be beautiful at all. )

For a while things were going swimmingly for Kendall with Lord Ryan, and Kendall thought she might actually be happy. Then, one day, he found out about some stupid lie she'd told and they had a huge argument about trust and the proper respect owing to a lord. Kendall figured it would all blow over, the way her mother's spats with her current consort Sir Jackson did, so she went back to flirting with the cute Superintendent of the Guard.

The next thing she knew, Lord Ryan was married – not to Bianca, which Kendall would have understood – but to some cleaning person he met who turned out to be a princess. (Or maybe it was the other way around, she couldn't keep it all straight.) She had a stupid name, too. Greenpea? Sweetlee? Well, whatever it was, he swooped off with whatshername to her nearby kingdom, and Kendall never saw him again. Ryan's defection hurt more than anything ever had, so Kendall decided to give up on the idea of love and happiness for good. She decided that love and happiness obviously weren't for the Wicked, and she'd be better off concentrating on flirting and cute slippers and playing tricks on Bianca and her maidens.

So, things went on in the Valley of Pine more or less as they always had. Kendall played petty games, Bianca played with her maidens and ignored all the throngs of hopeful suitors Erica threw at her in increasing desperation, and Erica made a killing in the potions market with something called _Youthful Essence_ that smelled suspiciously like _Youth Dew_.

And then, one day, something happened.

It started out simply enough. King Alexander of Cambias and his son Prince Michael arrived on a State Visit. Over the years local nobility like the Earl of Chandler and Duke Palmer of Courtland brought various male relations of various ages in the hopes of forging an alliance between one of these likely young men and Queen Erica's obviously disinterested heiress, Bianca. But monarchs and princes and dukes were coming from further and further with every passing month. Kendall and the rest of the court payed very little attention to it: the fact was that State Visits were becoming commonplace as Erica continued her matchmaking efforts on Bianca's behalf and as a result no one even noticed the preparations anymore. They barely paid attention to the _visits_ anymore.

Then the Cambii arrived, and Kendall got a good look at Michael from her chamber window. He and his father were both remarkably charismatic looking men, even from a distance. Prince Michael especially struck her fancy. He was surveying the courtyard with a bored look on his aristocratic face, and Kendall was instantly charmed by him.

"Wow," she thought. "Hottie! Too bad he's probably here to woo Bianca." But then she thought about that for a minute as she stared down at the so obviously bored gentleman. She was Wicked, wasn't she? Why couldn't she try and steal him for herself? Bianca never even seemed to notice or care anyway, and it would drive Erica crazy. There was always the slim possibility that Kendall might fall in love with him, but she thought her Wickedness had probably solidified enough that she could stay heart-whole.

Kendall weighed the pros and cons as she dreamily stared down into the courtyard. Prince Michael looked up at her window and idly flicked his whip back and forth near his horse's flanks, and her decision was made. "I'll try it! After all," she said to herself, "I'm Wicked! And besides, what's the worst thing that can happen?"

When Kendall thought about it much later, she decided that was probably her first big mistake. Because lots of horrible things could happen, and in Pine Valley, they usually did.


	2. Chapter 1: Wicked Does

_When we last left our anti-heroine, she'd decided to make a play for Prince Michael to annoy her mother, the Queen. Lady Kendall is about to learn that there are worse things in life than not annoying your mother..._

**Chapter 1 – Wicked Does**

Kendall smoothed her favorite green dress over her hips and looked at herself in the mirror. It was cut perfectly to highlight her slender figure; and she'd even found this fabulous pair of skinny-heeled slippers from a genius cobbler named Manolo that gave her a little added height. She didn't look too bad, for a skinny green-eyed thing. Her hair was even behaving for once – that new stuff she'd brewed seemed to tame the curl just enough to make it look full and healthy, not wildly curly. She sniffed experimentally.

It even smelled good. She wandered downstairs, feeling almost pretty. She could absolutely make Prince Michael of Cambias her latest conquest.

That assurance lasted until she saw a radiant Bianca, seated next to a bored looking Prince Michael and giggling with her newest attendant, Viscountess Arabella Chandler. (The title was almost as recent as her appointment to Bianca's ladies. When Arabella and her mother Krystal first showed up, Arabella was a lowly Miss Carey and no one except for the younger guards paid her much attention at all. But somehow, three months later, she was married to the Earl of Chandler's eldest son and expecting an heir. One month after that, she was Bianca's best friend, no longer pregnant, and rumor had it that Viscount Chandler was spending most of his time face down in local alehouses. Kendall couldn't help but feel there had to be some kind of evil behind this meteoric rise, but Bianca thought the sun rose and set on Lady Arabella's tremulous smile, so Kendall kept her mouth shut. Wicked didn't mean Stupid.) Bianca was glowing in a lovely, ivory silk gown that clung to her in all the right places but still managed to look ladylike. Feeling distinctly over-shone, Kendall sighed and took her own place, towards the end of the high table.

Kendall toyed with her dinner and watched her family. She was left pretty much to her own devices at this type of event (even by her usual flirts) because all the focus was on whether or not Erica's efforts to interest Bianca in a suitor would bear fruit. For obvious reasons, Kendall was just as interested this time. So far Erica appeared to be having more luck with King Alexander than Michael was with Bianca. Erica was vivaciously telling a story to the senior Cambias, waving her hands and coquettishly tossing her hair while Sir Jackson got more and more sour looking. Kendall found herself wondering whether Sir Jackson and Erica were going to make it to their second anniversary celebration when she realized that Prince Michael had given up attempting to win Bianca's attention and was staring at her.

Kendall stared back, elevating her chin slightly. "How rude," she thought.

He smiled at her. He had a nice smile.

She automatically smiled back, squelching a guilty pang about how upset Erica would be. "Wicked!" she reminded herself.

The next thing she knew, Prince Michael had moved to her side. "You must be the Lady Kendall I've heard so much about," he said smoothly. "You're everything they said you would be and more."

"Who are they?" said Kendall, taken aback. "And more of what?"

He laughed gently. "And witty, too!"

Kendall smiled at him a bit uncertainly. This was not going like her usual flirtations at all. Normally she had to make the initial move. (Her pursuit of Sir Ryan was the talk of the court for weeks.) Michael's obvious appreciation was exhilarating and confusing at the same time. (And Erica's glare and hair toss in Kendall's direction were increasing both her confusion and exhilaration considerably. It took a lot of effort to get Erica's attention, positive or negative – so Kendall wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.)

Kendall opened her mouth to say… something, but Michael swiftly forestalled her with an invitation to go for a stroll on the battlements. Acutely aware of everyone's attention (as well as Erica's glare), Kendall assented and the two of them strolled out of the main room amid a thunderous silence. (King Alexander broke the silence by asking Erica about this year's wheat harvest. Erica looked a little blankly at him and then started to discourse on the topic knowledgeably. Queen Erica was an excellent businesswoman. Within five minutes she and King Alexander were deeply involved in a discussion ranging from the virtues of state owned stone-mills to the effect of dragon attacks on field yields.)

Michael kept up a constant stream of light banter and compliments as they wandered slowly up towards the battlements of the castle. At first, Kendall didn't say much other than, "Yes," "No," and "Thank you." But his charming manner eventually put her at ease, and she started contributing more to the conversation. She even asked some questions about Michael and listened intently to his answers. (Kendall learned early in her flirting career that men of any station love talking about themselves. Sir Ryan liked to tell her horribly dull stories about his exploits in the jousting ring. During them Kendall would stare into his blue, blue eyes, saying, "Oooh!" and "Aaaah" at breaks in the story, and wondering what their children's names would be. He once told her she was a brilliant conversationalist.)

Somehow (and Kendall was never quite sure how), the subject turned to their families. Prince Michael was telling a story about how he and his brother Alex used to play tricks on the guards.

That caught her attention. "Brother?" said Kendall. "I thought you were an only child."

"I am now", said Michael sadly. "My elder brother Alexander died in a freak riding accident."

"I'm so sorry," she said. "That must have been awful for you and your father."

"Yes," sighed Michael. "My father never quite recovered. Alexander was his favorite, you see. And I just can't measure up, as they say."

Kendall couldn't help but feel sympathy. After all, no matter how hard Kendall tried, Bianca always came first with Erica. And competing with a dead favorite had to be worse than competing with a live one – Kendall could always hope that Bianca somehow might make a mistake (even Good people made them sometimes, and the gods knew how fickle Erica could be). A dead favored child's sole mistake was really just the dying - and that was generally forgiven and indeed just added to the luster. (At least, that seemed to be how it worked for Erica's ex-consorts. The dead ones were all saints, according to the Queen. The ones who just disappeared were generally considered almost as Wicked as Kendall was.)

Michael must have mistaken her silence for discomfort, because he began to change the subject back to the local countryside.

Kendall interrupted him. "It's hard, isn't it? Not being… enough."

A gleam appeared in Michael's eyes, which was swiftly veiled as he lowered his head. "Alas, yes. But enough about my troubles," he said nobly, raising himself to his full height. "Let's talk about you and your family."

Kendall looked at him blankly. No one ever wanted to talk about her and her relationship with her family. "What about them?" she asked, warily. "They're my family."

"Do you and Bianca spend much time together? How do you both spend your days?"

Kendall sighed. So he was hoping to pump her for information about Bianca. It all made sense now. Of course the prince wasn't interested in her; all he wanted from her was the best way to woo her lovely sister. "No," she said quietly. "Bianca is far, far too good to spend time with me. So if you want to learn more about her, you should ask her yourself. Or chat up Lady Arabella, who spends more time with Bianca than I do."

"Surely you jest, Lady Kendall. It must be that your social calendar is so full. A lady as lovely and charming as yourself must have many claims on her time."

"Bianca certainly does," she said sadly. "My time is a bit more… unstructured."

Michael chuckled. "Now you're just being modest. Tell me everything about yourself and your sister," he demanded, taking her hand in his and staring into her eyes. "I insist!"

And Kendall, to her own surprise, did just that. She told Michael things she had never told anyone before. She told him about her potions, and of Bianca's travails with the court, and how she loved her sister and hated that Erica loved her better, and of her own loneliness and even her decision to accept her own wickedness. The whole time, Michael stared into her eyes, made soothing noises, and occasionally asked another question.

Kendall looked away from him after a while, and said, "Wait. Why am I telling you all of this?"

Michael gently took her pointed chin in his hand and brought her eyes back around to him. "Because you wanted to, and because I needed to know," he said softly. "And now, my dear Lady Kendall, I have one more question that I think you can help me with."

Kendall found herself staring into his eyes and nodding her head. "Of course, Prince Michael," she heard herself saying. "What do you want to know?"

"Tell me, dear girl," he said. "What does Queen Erica love more than anything in the world?"

It was on the tip of Kendall's tongue for her to give a flip answer like, "Herself," but something stopped her. Then, "Bianca," she heard herself say. "She loves Bianca."

"Ah", said Prince Michael, releasing Kendall's chin. "Then that's what we'll have," and he snapped his fingers.

Kendall blinked as the fog cleared from her brain. "Wait, what did you say?"

Michael laughed as the sky went dark. Kendall heard an awful, howling noise, and then she and Michael were suddenly back in the banquet hall, where all hell appeared to have broken loose.

King Alexander was standing in the middle of the banquet hall, laughing uproariously. Queen Erica was standing in front of him, pleading with him. Most of the court was running around, screaming and generally being useless. Aidan and his contingent of guards all appeared to be immobilized.

"Kendall!" screeched Erica. "Where have you been? What have you done?"

"What?" asked poor Kendall. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Look!" said the queen, pointing at Bianca, who appeared to have fainted into the arms of a trembling Arabella. "Bianca is dead. And it's all your fault! What did you say, you wicked girl?"

Kendall looked at her mother, uneasily aware that she must have said something – but she had no idea what it was anymore. "Uh…"

King Alexander stopped laughing and glared at the tiny queen. "Leave the girl alone," he said. "This is all on you, Erica. Give over the kingdom, or your precious Bianca will never awaken!"

Erica stared at him, her mouth agape. "How dare you!" she said. "Don't you know who I am?"

"I know exactly who you are, _Desiree_," the King said, which stopped Erica cold. "And it's unwise to play if you can't pay."

All of a sudden, Lady Myrtle stepped forward. "Enough!" she said sharply. She waved her arms, and the noise suddenly ceased.

Kendall looked around. Everyone except her, the Cambii, and Myrtle had fallen asleep where they stood, even mid-scream. (Queen Erica had somehow managed to land gracefully in the arms of Sir Jackson. Everyone else looked a bit silly.)

The Cambii stared at Lady Myrtle. After a moment, the King said, "This is not your battle, old woman. So don't test me."

Myrtle looked back at him, fearlessly. "You may not want to test me, either, old man. I know a trick or two."

They stared at each other, unmoving. After a moment, the King nodded. "You're only delaying the inevitable, you know," he said conversationally. "The Kingdom will be ours."

Myrtle snorted. "Please," she said. "I know how these things work. And we have time to fix it."

"You and who – Lady Kendall? The black sheep? Don't make me laugh," said the King. Myrtle just continued to stare at him. He rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said. "You have a month."

"But, father," said Michael.

"Shut up, Michael," said the King. "You know how these things work."

Michael raised his arm towards the old lady, but his father stopped him with a negligent glance. "Don't be an idiot. We got what we came for, and we're leaving. Now."

Michael glared at him and muttered something sulkily under his breath. He then turned his eyes towards a bewildered Kendall. "Thanks for the help, Kendall. Your assistance was invaluable!" he laughed.

And Prince Michael and King Alexander disappeared in a puff of evil-smelling black smoke, leaving Kendall and Myrtle alone with Bianca, Erica, and the sleeping court.

Kendall stared at Myrtle, horrified.

"Now we're in it, my girl," said Lady Myrtle, after a moment. "And you're the only one who can save us!"


	3. Chapter 2: No Quest for the Wicked

On to Chapter 2. In which Kendall is sent on a mission.

Previously, in Chapter 1: Bianca is struck down with a spell, and Myrtle puts the whole palace to sleep to stop things from getting out of hand.

_And Prince Michael and King Alexander disappeared in a puff of evil-smelling black smoke, leaving Kendall and Myrtle alone with Bianca, Erica, and the sleeping court._

Kendall stared at Myrtle, horrified.

"Now we're in it, my girl," said Lady Myrtle, after a moment. "And you're the only one who can save us!"

**Chapter 2 – No Quest for the Wicked**

"Me?" gasped Kendall.

"Of course," said Myrtle briskly. "Who else?"

Kendall had always thought Lady Myrtle was pretty sharp, but obviously she was wrong. This was crazy talk. "But, Lady Myrtle, I can't save anyone," said Kendall. "I'm Wicked, remember?"

"You? Wicked? You're no more wicked than I am. Now, what happened?"

"I don't know!" said Kendall miserably. "I must have done something Wicked to cause this."

"Nonsense," said Myrtle.

"But, look!" said Kendall, on the verge of tears and waving her arms in the general direction of the court. "That's not good. And it's obviously my fault. Michael even thanked me!"

"Of course it isn't good," snapped the old lady. "It's wickedness, pure and simple. The entire court is asleep, Bianca's in mortal danger, and we may lose the entire kingdom. But I fail to see how _any _of this is your fault. Did _you_ steal anything? Lie about anything? Immobilize anyone?"

"No," said Kendall, sniffling. "But -.."

"But me no buts!" said Myrtle. "And pay attention. I need to hear exactly what happened after Prince Michael took you out of the banquet hall."

"We went for a walk on the battlements," said Kendall, still sure this was all her fault. "And we talked. It was nice," she said, a little wistfully. "He listened to me."

"Hmmm," said Myrtle, noncommittally. "And what did you tell him?"

Kendall thought back. It was all a bit blurry now. "I think we talked about our families," she said cautiously. "He told me about his brother, and how he could never measure up. And then he asked me about Bianca."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I don't remember," said poor Kendall. "Probably just the usual stuff. That she's good, and kind, and the sweetest person in the kingdom."

"There had to be more to it than that," said Myrtle. "Think harder."

"I'm trying," said Kendall. She closed her eyes because the sight of all the court sleeping where they were standing was starting to really scare her (and in some cases give her a very regrettable case of the giggles. How on earth was Del the Jester managing to maintain his balance in that position?). She cast her mind back to that strange conversation up on the battlements. It was so hard to remember, but she had to try. Bianca needed her. "Uh…. He asked me about Erica."

"Now we're getting somewhere," said the old lady, rubbing her hands together. "Think back, my dear. What did he specifically want to know about Erica?"

Kendall could almost see Prince Michael and hear his voice. "I think he wanted to know what Erica loved the most," she said slowly.

"Ah!" said Myrtle. "A Heartfire spell. That makes sense. Those wicked, wicked men," she muttered. But then she looked at Kendall again. "No, no, that can't be it. Heartfire spells steal what you value the most in your heart. If they placed the spell on Erica, it wouldn't have taken Bianca. It would have taken Erica."

Kendall shook her head vehemently. "That's not true, Lady Myrtle, and you know it," she said, stamping her foot (and looking very like her mother as she did so, now that Myrtle thought of it). "Erica _seems_ to love herself best, but Bianca means more to her than anything or anyone else. Haven't you seen them together? Remember when Bianca was ill last summer? I thought Erica was going to die herself, she was so scared."

"Yes," Myrtle said softly. Then she flicked a glance at Kendall. "As I remember, you were fairly worried yourself. Never left Bianca's chamber, if I recall."

"Uh --.." said Kendall, unintelligibly.

Myrtle shook her head and started out of the banquet hall. "Well, now I know what the damage is. So enough of this lolly gagging. If you don't win back Bianca's heartfire from the Cambii, she and the rest of the court will never wake up – and then where will we all be?"

"Never?" said Kendall, appalled. Then she rallied. "But that's not fair," she said angrily. "Bianca didn't do anything wrong! Why is she in such danger?"

Lady Myrtle's jaw dropped. She rounded on Kendall. "_Fair_? You want things to be _fair_? You ridiculous girl, who on earth told you that life was going to be fair? Now snap to it. If you want to rescue Bianca, you need to get going."

"Me?" gasped Kendall, again. "But -"

"Is there an echo in here?" snapped Myrtle.

"No, but -"

"Who else?" asked Myrtle coolly, glaring at her.

"But _I _can't rescue Bianca!" Kendall persisted. "I mean, it's not that I don't _want_ to," she said hastily, as Lady Myrtle continued to glare at her. "It's just… isn't that what all those knights are for? Why on earth does mother keep them around if they can't rescue the heroine?"

Lady Myrtle just rolled her eyes. "Honestly, girl, sometimes you are as silly as your mother. What good would they do? And who told you that Bianca was the heroine?"

"Huh?" said Kendall, feeling rather as if the world was shifting on its axis. "No one _told _me. She just _is_. She's beautiful, and sweet, and everyone loves her. And now she's in mortal peril! Of _course _she's the heroine. That's how things work here."

"Bianca's a lovely girl, no denying it. But why are you so sure she's the _only_ heroine," said Myrtle. "You're beautiful, you're smart, and you have a great big heart. Why can't you be a heroine, too?"

Kendall was seriously worried now. Lady Myrtle had either become senile when no one was looking, or the Cambii threw an extra spell or two her way before they left. "First of all, I'm not beautiful. But more importantly, that's not how it works, " said Kendall, patiently. "Everyone knows that there's a Good Sister and a Wicked Sister. Bianca's the Good Sister, so…"

Myrtle interrupted her, snapping, "Who filled your head with that nonsense? Your mother?" Kendall shrugged. "Honestly, I'm going to smack Erica upside the head when this is over," Myrtle muttered. She was silent a moment, looking Kendall up and down. "Do you love your sister?" she asked sternly.

"Of course I do," said Kendall, stung. "Bianca's the sweetest, kindest person I know."

"I thought so," Myrtle said a little smugly. "And do you think the truly Wicked can love?"

Kendall opened her mouth and didn't say anything for a moment. That was actually a pretty good question. Eventually she said, "But it's _Bianca, _Myrtle. Everyone loves Bianca. How can you not? She's even nice to me – and lord knows I don't deserve it."

"Well, we'll see about that," said Myrtle, looking a bit mollified. "You may deserve better than you think. Now let's get going. Times a-wasting, and you don't have all that much of it. These things have deadlines, you know."

"King Alexander said 30 days, that's a long time" Kendall objected, as Myrtle started chivvying her down the hall.

"They gave that up awfully easily. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a loophole or two," said Myrtle darkly. "Snake. He and his son, both. Slimy snakes. Stacking the deck. But I've been around the fairground a time or two, and I know how this type of spell works. So we need to get you on the road." Myrtle continued shepherding Kendall down the hallway towards Kendall's tower.

Kendall gave up trying to resist and allowed herself to be pushed along. For an elderly lady, Myrtle had a strong grip. "But why me?" she asked again.

"Because you're the only one who can," said Myrtle as she continued through the palace. "That's why."

"Me? By myself?" said Kendall, a little horrified. Another, even more frightening thought occurred. "But what should I pack?"

Myrtle huffed. "Honestly, girls today. Don't they teach you anything useful? Bring some good traveling clothes, that lovely green thing you're wearing that matches your pretty eyes, and all the beauty creams and potions you have in stock. This is a mission, not a vacation."

"How did you know about my potions?" Kendall asked suspiciously, distracted from the description of her eyes as pretty. "I don't make potions. And anyway, even if I did, I don't make those anymore."

Myrtle patted her hand. "Now, Kendall dear, don't be silly. Just because these eyes are old doesn't mean they're blind. I know lots of things. Now lets go pack them up and get going."

"I'm going, I'm going," she said, continuing down the hallway towards her tower. She stopped again on the stairs. "But there's one thing you forgot to tell me."

"I didn't forget anything," said Myrtle, offended. She poked Kendall to get her to start moving again. "I'm not _that _old."

Kendall wisely didn't say anything in answer to that but obediently continued up the stairs. "But… where am I going?" she asked as Myrtle pushed her into her chamber.

"Oh," said Myrtle, disconcerted. "I thought we covered that."

"No, Myrtle. We didn't," said Kendall patiently. Really, Myrtle was starting to seriously worry her. If Myrtle and Kendall were all Bianca had in her corner, this wasn't going to work out well at all.

"Well, we'll cover it now, then," she said briskly, moving towards Kendall's wardrobe. "You're going to Vegas. And when you get there, you need to see Zach Slater. Tell him I sent you. He's the only one who can help you now."

Kendall stopped dead. "I have to see _ThatSlaterBeast_?" she gasped.

Myrtle sighed. "You really need to stop listening to Erica," she said, gently pushing Kendall towards her wardrobe. "Now, pack!"


	4. Chapter 3: What Happens in Vegas

_A/N: Sorry it's been such a long wait. I promise things will pick up in the next chapter. This is more Myrtle and Kendall. (What? They're fun to write.)_

**Chapter 3 – What Happens in Vegas**

Kendall had heard about the land of Las Vegas, of course. Everyone in the Valley had. Vegas and the beast who ruled there were both legends. It was an odd legend; one that was whispered rather than sung, and one that you overheard in a corner instead of celebrating on feast days, but it was a legend, nonetheless.

Vegas, the legend said, had always been out there, far to the west of Pine Valley. It was a land of mystery and danger, romance and adventure. The whispered stories said that you could find your heart's desire there. But it wasn't an easy journey; so anyone who dared to make the trip was desperate in one way or another. Still, every year, a few hardy souls left Pine Valley and made the dangerous trek over the mountains and across the desert to the fabled land.

And some of them returned - though many were never heard of again, which just added to the whole 'mysterious and dangerous' quality of the Vegas legend. Generally, the people who returned were either very happy, or very tired, or even very sad. Strangely enough they could never tell anyone why they were so affected, even the happy ones. It was almost as if whatever happened in Vegas had to stay there. Since nature and Pine Valley both abhorred a vacuum, all sorts of whispers ran rampant about fanciful palaces, and streets of gold, and impossible contests with difficult odds that, if won, reaped amazing rewards. The name Slater was whispered along with many of the stories, and those that mentioned him by name were either the happiest or the saddest. The ladies fell into two camps on the subject – some said he was a prince among men, and others thought he was a beast beyond all measure.

Queen Erica fell into the "beast" camp. She called him a beast so loudly and so often that he became known around Pine Valley as ThatSlaterBeast. (No one ever asked the Queen how she'd heard of him; Kendall had often thought there must be some kind of story there, but she knew better than to ask. Whenever Kendall asked Erica anything she didn't want to answer, she tossed her hair and said, "Oh, Kendall," in a very long-suffering tone. Kendall had tried to get Bianca to ask about it, but Bianca was very protective of everyone's privacy and wasn't fond of gossip. She merely said, "Oh, Kendall," in a very sad tone of voice. Kendall wondered sometimes why she didn't just change her name to Oh,Kendall, but decided that people might think she was a breakfast cereal or a pub instead of a wicked princess.)

Kendall tried to pump Myrtle for information while she was packing, but all she would do was pat Kendall's hand and tell her, "You'll know what to do."

"But, Myrtle, I don't know how to _get_ there," said Kendall finally, throwing some gowns into a small bag.

Myrtle tsked, pulled out the dresses that Kendall had shoved in there and started refolding them. "Don't treat silk that way, my dear. Ruins the fabric." Kendall groaned. "I'm sorry, darlin'. What did you say?"

"Myrtle, please listen to me," Kendall pleaded. "I have no idea how to get to Vegas, what to do when I get there, or how to fix this. And I only have a month!"

Myrtle finished repacking the bag to her satisfaction and looked up. "Kendall, you really need to learn not to get so upset over things," she said sternly. "And you need to learn to trust yourself a bit."

"But – "

"I thought we talked about that word," said Myrtle, even more sternly. Kendall was silent. "Now give me your hand."

Kendall dutifully held out her right hand to Myrtle, who muttered a few words, and then dropped a compass into it. "This will tell you how to get there," said the old lady. "Just follow it, it will lead you straight to your – destination."

Kendall looked at the compass. Sure enough, the little arrow was pointing to a "V" instead of "N". "How did you do that?" asked Kendall suspiciously.

"Never you mind how," said the old lady mysteriously. "All that matters is that it will take you where you need to go."

"Thank you," said Kendall, a hint of doubt in her tone. "But - " Myrtle cleared her throat and Kendall hastily added, "I mean, _then_ what?"

"We went over that, dear," said Myrtle patiently. "You need to see Zach Slater and explain the situation. Now, you may need to do a few things first, so keep an open mind."

"What?" Kendall squeaked.

"Nothing like that," said Myrtle, amused. "What do they teach you girls nowadays? All I meant was that you may meet some people on the way, or be asked to accomplish a task or two when you arrive. Just remember, you're stronger than you think you are – and you have much more to offer than your pretty face."

"I can't think what - and I'm not even that pretty," muttered Kendall.

"I heard that," snapped Myrtle. "I'd put a spell on you to build your confidence, but that won't solve anything. You have to have faith, Kendall. In yourself and in others. Now I know that doesn't come easy to you, but try. Strike that – just do it! Your sister and your mother are counting on you. Heavens, the whole kingdom is! You said you loved Bianca, and she needs you now more than she ever has. You can do this. You _have_ to do it. For Bianca."

"For Bianca," said Kendall resolutely. Myrtle nodded decisively and started down the stairway to the main gate. Kendall still wasn't sure why Myrtle was so insistent that Kendall had to fix this, but it obviously no use arguing with the old lady anymore. So she sighed to herself, shouldered her two bags – the one of clothes, and the one of potions – and followed Myrtle meekly down the stairs and out to the stables.

Where all the grooms and horses were sleeping soundly. Myrtle and Kendall looked at each other for a moment, nonplussed. After a brief consultation, they decided to wake Kendall's favorite mare and between them managed to figure out how to saddle her. (Caring for horses simply wasn't part of even a wicked princess's course of study, and it had been a long time since Myrtle had had to anything so banal herself. But it all came back to her eventually and they muddled through.)

Once the mare was awake, saddled, and Kendall's bags were secured, Kendall took a deep breath and decided to make one more appeal. "Myrtle, are you sure this is the right thing for us to do? I just don't know if I can handle this."

Myrtle patted her hand. "Kendall, darlin', I am sure. And I know you can handle anything that happens."

"Can't you come with me?" Kendall pleaded. "I won't know what to do."

Myrtle smiled and shook her head. "It doesn't work that way, darlin'. You have to do this on your own." She thought for a minute. "Well, that's not strictly true. You will need help. But it's not help I can give you. That's why I'm sendin' you to Vegas. And besides," she added, "someone's got to stay here and keep an eye on things. I'm too old for much else."

Kendall looked into Myrtle's wise old eyes and found herself nodding obediently. Myrtle gave her a hug (Kendall was so surprised she almost forgot to hug her back; no one ever hugged Kendall, except Bianca occasionally). She climbed on her horse, and took one more look around the silent courtyard. "I promise I won't let you down, Myrtle."

"That's my girl," said Myrtle approvingly. "Use the compass to guide you. And when you get there, tell Slater I sent you. No matter what your mother said, he's right for this task." Kendall didn't move. Myrtle sighed exasperatedly and said. "Now, off you go. Shoo!"

The mare snorted and Kendall shook herself. "Yes, Myrtle. Thank you," she said. Then she took up her horse's reins, took one last deep breath, and set off, through the silent courtyard, past the sleeping guards, and off into the strong afternoon sunlight.

Myrtle waved and smiled until Kendall was out of sight. "I hope I did the right thing," she said to one of the sleeping guards. He didn't answer, just let out a light snore and rolled over. "Oh, who am I kidding. It's not like I had any choice. And he will help her. He won't be able to stop himself as soon as he hears who's responsible."

"Besides," she added, as she walked back into the palace. "they're perfect for each other. I should have thought of this much, much sooner than I did. More proof that I'm getting old, I suppose."

Next up:  
_Chapter 4: When Wicked Meets Winsome, or the beginnings of a Beautiful Friendship._


	5. Chapter 4: When Wicked Met Winsome

_A/N - thanks for sticking with this guys, I'm sorry it hasn't updated in so long. But we're getting into the meat of things. _

_In our last chapter, Kendall began her journey. In this chapter, she meets a new acquaintance (who may be familiar to you), and makes her way towards Vegas. _

**Chapter 4 – When Wicked Met Winsome**

Kendall traveled swiftly through the sleeping countryside. She realized early on in her journey that Myrtle's sleep enchantment wasn't just on the palace; it was on the entire kingdom of Pine Valley. Which made sense, when she thought about it. It would have caused something of a panic in the land once the people realized the queen and the whole court were under a spell.

(As a general rule people dealt pretty well with spells and sorcerers and such, but there were limits. A sleeping kingdom would be left alone; it wasn't bothering anyone else, and these things usually righted themselves soon enough. And if they didn't, well, the loot and plunder would still be available after the traditional three-month grace period. People only interfered if the spell started to spread, or if it had unintended consequences – as happened in the land of Port Charles several years ago.

Port Charles was a small kingdom not that far from Pine Valley that no one paid much mind. That changed when a wizard named Guza with a perverted sense of humor cast a spell on the land that caused every citizen to decide that good was bad and bad was good. Criminals were treated as heroes, and heroes were treated as criminals. Port Charles managed to limp along with this whacked out system for a year or so, but the inverted system of government made it impossible for them to trade or coexist with other lands. After King Sonny Corinthos – a smuggler who made himself king once all the other smuggling gangs destroyed each other - finished jailing all his own law-abiding citizens, he declared war on all the neighboring kingdoms because they were daring to stop his smugglers and pirates from stealing all their goods. Queen Erica of Pine Valley and King Asa of Lanview put aside a feud of many years standing to put a stop to that nonsense right quick. Within six weeks King Sonny found himself jailed in the darkest, deepest dungeon Port Charles had to offer, with Guza the wizard as his cellmate - courtesy of the combined efforts of Lady Myrtle and Sir Nigel, her Llanview counterpart. The grateful citizens of Port Charles, once released from their prisons, restored the balance of government, declared themselves a democracy and outlawed sorcery, figuring that a magic-free elected government had to be less trouble than a monarchy. Their first president, Luke Spencer, was elected primarily because he had no interest in the office and left everyone pretty much alone, which suited the remaining citizens of Port Charles right down to the ground.)

Since there was no other foot, carriage, or horse traffic, Kendall made excellent time crossing Pine Valley. She would periodically check her compass to maintain her heading, and she tried resolutely not to think about the sad situation behind her and the unknown ahead of her. It was dull, but it gave her some much needed time to mull over what Myrtle had said about heroines and such. When she was tired, she stopped to sleep; when she was hungry, she stopped to eat. (Kendall did leave behind coins for whatever food or drink she took; she figured she was already in enough trouble with the forces without adding to her problems by pilfering.)

After two days of steady travel, she and her weary horse reached the mountains on the western border of Pine Valley. (Kendall wasn't aware of it, but Myrtle's compass was doing some funny things with time and distance. This particular journey usually took two weeks.)

"Well," Kendall said to her horse (she'd gotten into the habit of speaking to the mare, since no one else was awake), "now what?" The mare whinnied. "Sure, easy for you to say," Kendall said. "But I've never traveled through these passes before. Are there brigands and things? Everyone always talks about how dangerous this journey is. More danger is the last thing we need."

The mare snorted and shook herself a bit. Kendall sighed. "Look, I know we don't have any choice. So forward we go." She noticed that the shadows were lengthening and the mountains were looking more and more ominous – sharp, dark, spikey…"Well, maybe we should stop at that inn for the night first," she said.

And sure enough, there was an inn. It seemed different than any inn she'd seen so far. She stared at it for a moment, her head tilted slightly. The mare cocked her head as well.

Ah. There was movement. Kendall blinked and looked again. Yes, movement! Real live people, moving around! Thrilled at the prospect of actual human companionship, Kendall rode closer.

However as she approached, she discovered that 'people' was a slight exaggeration. There was one person. A bedraggled, tiny female person, who (as far as Kendall could tell under the crazy nest that doubled as her hair) looked to be near Kendall's age. And who, Kendall realized with a sinking heart, was talking to herself.

Kendall sighed but continued into the courtyard. Of course it was a crazy woman. "First human companionship since I left the palace, and this is what I get," Kendall muttered, maneuvering the horse into the courtyard. "A lunatic."

"Hey!" said the tiny woman, turning around. "Who are you calling a lunatic? I'm not the one talking to a horse, sweetie."

Kendall slid off the mare's back and said, "Fair enough." She began leading the mare towards the stable.

The lunatic followed, talking the entire time.

"So, how come everyone here is out cold?" she asked. "I got here yesterday, and not a soul has stirred the whole time. I know I'm not always a scintillating conversationalist, but this is kind of ridiculous. Was there a spell? Why aren't you asleep, too? Are you a sorcerer? Or is it sorceress? I can never remember if that's one of those words that has a feminine form. Did you put the spell on everyone? Are you going to put it on me?" Kendall didn't pay much attention to the actual words, just listened to the somewhat husky voice as she tried rather inexpertly to settle down the mare for the night. "Wow, sweetie, have you ever been in a stable before? You really have no idea what you're doing, do you? Here, let me help you with that," the lunatic said, coming over to help since Kendall was so obviously at a complete loss.

"Thank you," Kendall said automatically.

"You're welcome," said the lunatic. Who didn't seem to be all that loony, now that Kendall thought of it. And also…

"I don't mean to be rude," said Kendall. "But… where did you come from? How come you aren't affected by the spell?"

"So it _is_ a spell!" said the not-lunatic excitedly. "Fantastic! And, hey! I could ask you the same question, because you're walking and talking and not sleeping. So, what gives?" Kendall had to admit it was a fair question.

"Well," she bargained. "How about we go inside, find something to eat, and I'll explain what happened. Provided," she amended, "you tell me how you got here."

"Deal," said the not-lunatic. "But you have to tell me how you get your hair to do that. Curly hair usually doesn't look nearly as fabulous as yours does, especially after traveling, and hair has always been kind of an issue for me."

Kendall, eyeing the nest of snarls and tangles that served her new acquaintance for hair, had to agree. So the two of them finished stabling the mare (who was very grateful to be stabled by someone who had a clue on horse care. She was an easygoing creature and she was very fond of her mistress, but she had found Kendall's well-meaning but pathetic attempts to water and stable her over the past two days extremely upsetting. The only upside to the journey, as far as the mare was concerned, was the lack of flies - who were asleep because when Myrtle performed a sleep enchantment, she really performed a sleep enchantment.) and proceeded to the inn, which was sparsely populated by sleeping travelers.

The not- lunatic talked the whole time, which was fine with Kendall because she was so happy to hear another voice. Kendall learned that the not-lunatic's name was Simone, and that she'd come down to Pine Valley from the neighboring mountains because mountain air didn't really agree with her constitution, and she'd been there for two days resting after the trip.

"Because even though the whole 'everyone is sound asleep' thing is kind of creepy, it's also pretty restful. Where I come from, there are a lot of women who talk a lot of the time, and it's hard for me to get a word in or hear myself think."

"I find that hard to believe," said Kendall under her breath, feeling overwhelmed by the constant flow of babble.

"Oh, believe it," said Simone blithely, as she led Kendall to the kitchen for some food. "I'm a terrible liar, so I usually tell the truth. Well, I'm not sure terrible is the right word, maybe I'm just too scattered. I never remember the lies I tell and then I contradict them the next time I talk to someone. It's confusing, lying. So, where are you going? And do you know why everyone's asleep?"

Kendall watched as Simone handily assembled some bread, cheese, and other sundry items on to a plate. "It's kind of a long story," said Kendall.

"Well sweetie, we've got nothing but time, and I promise I'll be quiet long enough to listen. Even I get tired of my own voice sometimes, you know."

So Kendall (as coherently as she could with Simone's interjections) told the story of the enchantment currently holding sway in Pine Valley, and her mission to reverse the spell. She put a lot of blame on herself, but Simone didn't seem to agree with her about who was at fault.

"So, wait. Prince Michael tricked you into telling him something – and you don't even know what it was? So how is this your fault?"

"Well it has to be my fault. I'm the evil sister."

"Look, sweetie, I don't know how it works here in Pine Valley, but where I come from there are no fixed rules about that kind of stuff. People aren't all good, or all bad. They're just people. Most people are trying to be good, they just make mistakes sometimes. This Prince Michael, though… he sounds pretty awful. Which reminds me", said Simone, warming to her theme. "Pretty people outside aren't always pretty people inside, which I think is really unfair. I mean, the least they could do is look as awful on the outside as they are in their hearts – then you could tell if someone was worth trusting or not."

"I guess," said Kendall, taken aback. "I never thought about it that way. But I thought we weren't supposed to judge people on how they look. At least, that's what they told Bianca and me when we were younger."

"That's sweet and all," said Simone, "but it's not very realistic. I mean, look at my hair. It's a disaster, and it made you think I was crazy before I even opened my mouth. Which reminds me," she added, with one of the switches in topic that Kendall was realizing were part of Simone's conversation style, "how do you get your hair so pretty looking?"

"It's nothing," Kendall said modestly. "Just a little potion I made. It makes my hair stay curly, but not get too curly."

"Really?" said Simone, awed. "You made the potion? I thought princesses were generally kind of useless creatures. You can make potions?"

Kendall just nodded, not sure whether or not to be offended at the idea that princesses were useless. (Lord knows that Kendall and Bianca hadn't done much of anything so far in their lives except have lessons and be courted – though Kendall mostly watched Bianca be courted.)

"Well, do you have one that might help me?" Simone asked eagerly. "I mean, look at this stuff!" and she pulled at one hunk of the dark, ratted nest that served as her hair.

Kendall said she would try, and suggested that Simone sit down where Kendall could look at her hair more closely. "Hmmm," Kendall said after a minute. "I think I might have something…" and she pulled a vial from her bag of powders, creams and lotions. "But first we need to wash it."

Simone nodded vigorously. A half hour later, Simone's hair was freshly washed and had the potion liberally applied to it. She sniffed experimentally. "That smells nice," she said approvingly. "What's in it?"

"I'll tell you if it works," said Kendall. "And then I'll teach you how to make it."

"Oh, I'm sure it will work," said Simone. "It smells way too pretty not to."

After an hour or so, during which Kendall and Simone continued to talk (or more accurately, Simone continued to talk and Kendall continued to listen), Kendall rinsed the potion out of Simone's hair and ran a comb through it – and what had once been a tangled rats' nest was now straight, raven colored, and shiny and full.

"Oooh," said Simone, awed. "I didn't even know my hair could look this nice. Thank you so much! But what will happen when it dries?"

Kendall smiled, a shy, happy smile. "It will still be shiny, and straight, and that lovely raven black. How on earth did you let it get into the state it did?"

Simone shrugged. "I didn't let it get that way, it's just always been that way. I like this much, much better, though. So how can I make this stuff?"

And then Kendall remembered she was on a mission. "Well, it's actually kind of involved," she said slowly. "And I promise I'll teach it to you, but I really need to get to Vegas soon. So can I come back and teach you when this is all settled?"

"No way," said Simone resolutely. "I'm not letting you out of my sight until I know how to make this myself. So I guess I'll have to go with you!"

"Simone, I don't know," said Kendall. "I mean, it's lovely of you to offer, but this might be dangerous, and – "

"Dangerous, shmangerous," retorted Simone. "Nothing is going to stop me from having shiny, shiny hair for the rest of my life. Besides, there are bound to be some cute men in Vegas, and I need to try out this hair in action."

Kendall tried to argue, but Simone refused to listen. So the next morning, Kendall and Simone took their horses, saddled them, and ascended the mountains. And in spite of herself, Kendall had to admit that it was nice to have company, even if the company never stopped talking. It stopped the voices in Kendall's head from telling her how this was All Her Fault, and made it difficult to worry about what was going to happen when she met thatSlaterBeast, or what thatSlaterBeast looked like, or even how she was going to talk him (it?) into helping her.

Three days later, Kendall and Simone arrived in Las Vegas. (That compass of Myrtle's was pretty impressive – the journey to Vegas usually took six weeks.) For almost a half day prior, they could see it shimmering in the distance across the desert. As it loomed closer, Simone actually stopped talking, she was so stunned by what they saw.

Because the stories, it turned out, were true. There were palaces – or rather, there were fantastical buildings that defied description, which were called palaces because the phrase 'resort casino' hadn't been invented yet. There was an immense pyramid, and a fantastical castle that was both huge and delicate, and a tall, square building that somehow managed to look like running water. And while the streets weren't paved of gold, they were lit by torches that never seemed to go out and changed color as you passed them. And each of the buildings was connected to the other by passageways that were above the level of the streets.

Eventually, Kendall and Simone overcame their feelings of awe and asked one of the many passersby which building was owned by Zach Slater (Kendall managed to stop herself from calling him ThatSlaterBeast), and entered the water building.

And they found themselves amazed all over again. Where there should have been an entry hall, there was a forest. But what a forest! Kendall and Simone wended their way through the course of a year: from early spring, with the tenderest buds beginning to flower, to a glorious summer full of blooming roses and full-blown trees, to an autumn with gorgeously tinted leaves that finally gave way to a winter glade of icy branches and a frozen pond. Occasionally they glimpsed rooms and passageways through the forest; but it wasn't clear what or who was in them.

At the end of the enchanted forest there was a more traditional Great Hall, with a desk manned by several beautifully dressed women and men. Kendall approached slowly, with Simone close behind, and asked for two adjoining chambers. While the person she spoke to checked to see if such rooms were available, Simone poked Kendall in the side until she asked if it might be possible to see Master Slater.

The attendants looked at them like they'd lost their minds. One of them sniggered.

Kendall glared at the sniggerer and asked again, this time invoking the name of Lady Myrtle. (She briefly considered tossing her hair, but decided against it. She had learned the hard way that her hair was too curly for the hair toss to be all that effective. Instead it just bounced.)

The sniggering stopped and was replaced with a whispered consultation amongst all the attendants. One stepped forward a bit more deferentially than before and informed Kendall and Simone that they would be taken to Master Slater after they had been shown to their rooms and allowed to refresh themselves. Kendall exchanged a triumphant glance with Simone and agreed grandly that that would do very well.

They were escorted to their rooms, which were lovely – far more beautiful, in fact, than Kendall's chamber back at the palace. Kendall and Simone went to their separate chambers to unpack their small bags and change their clothes. Mindful of Myrtle's comment about 'the green thing that matched her eyes', Kendall changed into it. (She was amazed to find that all of the dresses and clothes Myrtle had packed so carelessly were in fact pristine – no wrinkles, no creases, and a lovely smell that enhanced Kendall's scent. Evidently Myrtle was tricksier that Kendall had thought.)

Simone met her in the anteroom to their chambers and said, "Ooh, sweetie. That green is to die for with your eyes. Good choice. ThatSlaterBeast won't stand a chance."

Kendall surveyed herself a little doubtfully in the mirror. "Somehow, I think he'll be fine," she said dryly. "I'm more concerned with my chances. My mother must have called him a beast for a reason."

"You know, I've been thinking about that," said Simone eagerly. "Maybe -"

Simone was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. "Oh, this is so exciting," she said gleefully. "I am so, so glad you invited me along!" and went to answer the door.

Kendall took a deep breath, wondering who (or what) would be on the other side (and wondering how Simone's insistence that she tag along could in any way be construed as an invitation to join her. Not that she wasn't glad for the company, but still...)

She was distracted from her jumbled thoughts by Simone throwing open the door -

to reveal a perfectly normal, if somewhat handsome, man. "Hello," he said nonchalantly. "My name is Thaddeus, and I'll be your guide for this part of your journey."

"Ooh," said Simone, before Kendall could even open her mouth. "Another journey? But I thought we were done with that stuff. I mean, we're here, right? And Slater's here? So why the journeying? Isn't that done?"

The man surveyed her with an appreciative twinkle in his eye. "My dear lady, journeys are never over, not here at the Seasons. And certainly not when it involves our lord and master. So if you would both follow me, please? That is, assuming that you're finished with all those charming preparations ladies seem to find so essential before meeting their host."

"So, you're taking us to him?" Kendall asked. "Why can't he come to us?"

"Well, Lady Kendall, that's not how things work here," Thaddeus said pleasantly. "There are rules and all sorts of tiresome procedures that simply have to be followed. So if you will please come this way..." and he gestured them out.

"All right, then," said Kendall pettishly, following him. (In her defense, it had been a difficult week, and now that her initial goal was in sight she wanted to move things along.)

Simone and Thaddeus flirted with each other as they moved down and up the endless corridors, leaving Kendall to her own somewhat scattered thoughts. Kendall found that she almost missed Simone's endless chattering, because would force her to do something other than worry about her coming meeting. But all too soon, they arrived at another doorway – this one guarded by a rather severe looking (if statuesque and lovely) woman and two even more severe looking guards.

And the lady said (in a tone that matched her appearance), "Thaddeus Martin, what on earth are these – young women – doing here? Have you lost what little mind you have left?"

Simone said, "Wow. That's not very nice, Thaddeus. Does she speak to you like that often?"

Thaddeus shrugged and smiled disarmingly. "Call me Tad, lovely lady. And my dear Mistress Edie, the Ladies Kendall and Simone are here on somewhat pressing business. I'm sure the boss will want to see them."

Mistress Edie sniffed and ran her eyes somewhat dismissively over Kendall.

"He's a very busy man, Thaddeus. You know that." She turned her eyes to Kendall and ran them somewhat dismissively over her. "Why do you think you need to see him? And more importantly, why do you think he needs to see you?" Her voice was scornful.

Kendall opened her mouth to answer - and at that precise moment, she realized that while Lady Myrtle had said that she needed to see Zach Slater, Lady Myrtle neglected to tell Kendall why, exactly, he would help. After a moment, she said somewhat lamely, "Lady Myrtle sent me."

Mistress Edie raised an eyebrow and sniffed again. "That's an interesting story, miss," she said. "Let me guess. There's an urgent matter, and Lady Myrtle told you only he could help. You're the third would-be damsel in distress this week." She turned to Thaddeus. "Tad, really. That old chestnut? "

Thaddeus shrugged and said, "Mistress Edie, have you looked at these ladies? And did you happen to catch Lady Kendall's name? "

"I don't care what they look like OR what their names are," she snapped. "And you'd be much better off if you didn't, either."

Thaddeus just smiled.

Mistress Edie rolled her eyes at him and turned back to Kendall. "I'm sorry, miss. You'll have to come up with something a little more unusual to get into see him. So why don't you take yourself back to your suite and enjoy your visit."

Kendall stamped her foot at the inscrutable guards and the unmoved guardian. "Look, I'm not making this up. Lady Myrtle told me to come here and see thatSl- I mean, Zach Slater. It's urgent. It's about a spell."

Miss Edie was unimpressed. "Yes, I know," she said. "But it's my function to make sure that he's not bothered by – random persons."

"Random persons?" repeated Kendall indignantly. "Look, Mistress Edith, or Edie, or whoever - I am not just some random person. I am a princess. Lady Kendall Hart-Kane. From Pine Valley. And this is urgent! My sister was enchanted by the Cambii, and I have a deadline. So if you don't let me in to see him right now, I'm going to … to… turn you into a toad!"

"But, Kendall you told me – "

"Quiet, Simone," Kendall said, staring at Edie as threateningly as she could (which was pretty threatening, since Kendall learned intimidating stare technique from her mother at a very young age). Edie, however, continued to stare back, as unimpressed as the expressionless guards on either side of her. Tad and Simone stood together and watched the show. They were all so busy staring at each other, in fact, that most of them never noticed that the door behind Edie had opened.

Simone cleared her throat. "Uhr, Kendall…"

"Simone," snapped Kendall, warningly.

"But – "

And then a low gravelly, slightly accented voice said, "Edie? Send her in." Kendall recovered from her shock quickly, shot a triumphant glance at a stunned Edie and sashayed (another trick she'd learned from Erica) in through the door. Simone fell in behind her and the voice added sternly, "Alone."

Kendall and Simone stopped and looked at each other. Simone pouted and raised her eyes beseechingly to Kendall.

"But – " Kendall started to protest.

"Look," the voice said calmly. "I have a limited amount of time, and that's the condition. Are you going to argue about this some more, or come in?"

Kendall and Simone exchanged a look – pleading on Simone's, and apologetic on Kendall's. Then Kendall took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, raised her chin, and walked as bravely as she could through the door.

It closed quickly and silently behind her.

"Well, drat," said Simone petulantly to Tad. "Now I'll never find out what a beast looks like."

_Next up: Chapter 5. Interview with a Beast. In which Kendall (finally) meets Zach Slater, and learns that Beasts come in all sorts of interesting shapes and sizes. _


End file.
